Hitting the road.

After 6 months of working on this little beaut, starting in February, a NJ one at that.  She's done and ready for her 13,000 mile trek from East to West coast and back again.

Trailer Trash and Treasure

Working on the travel trailer this weekend was full of surprises, the good kind.

Taking in a days worth of work.

Underneath the covers, the original burnt orange fabric, plaid, and vinyl was intact.

The burnt orange was a bit much to handle, the plaid turned to shreds with every touch, but the vinyl I actually liked.

It's decided - we are going to keep the vinyl and pair it with the micro suede to keep that 70's vibe that's true to the trailer with a much needed update

Removed some of the window rot and insullation.

Under the carpet was the original linoleum flooring in great condition with no soft spots.

With lots of scrubbing Scotty looked and smelt much better.  We put the work tent up to cover her while the exterior work happens.

All the interior electric works just fine.

When I went through and looked at the gas and electrical wiring (brake lights etc.), gas is fine, the electric to all the exterior lights need to be properly soldered ... someone thought to just cap off everything, yikes....under the bed no less.

1970's vinyl

Assessment of the window rot was a pleasant surprise, only that one window had a leak and the wood/frame surrounding need replacing!  Not bad. 

The bed frame is solid, but the boards that fold into a couch are warped and frayed, those we will be replacing too.

1970's plaid

I cannot wait for next weekend, for the days to be longer and warmer so I can work on her.  Sitting at the table with a Snapple- reflecting - I can picture many adventures and recounted adventures at this table.

Micro suede to replace the plaid and burnt orange.

Fixed the table

Work in progress.

Travel Trailer Dreaming

My Family visiting from Portland, OR and Nashville, TN has put a stop on any travel trailer work being started, not to mention the waiting game for this tent I bought on ebay to house the trailer and work in.  As of Sunday hugs and kisses were given, well wishes were wished and now it's time to get down to it after this work week is done.

This is fun!!

I have to keep the goals in mind.  This little Scotty is ours however:

It needs appeal to us and to the masses (which means that bright paisley floral print on the cushions, painting the appliances and tons of t'chockes hanging from every piece of wall space are out see above).  Need to keep resale appeal in mind.

It needs to be fixed and fixed well, no leaks, no half ass anything, no jerry-rigging, no "oh I bet this would work for now..."
No! If it's not researched (to death) via NSSC and manual, it's not happening.

I stopped over on 36th and 8th to one of the many fabric stores (I work in the fabric district in NYC) after work on Friday.  I picked out a few materials, after looking at them all weekend I decided that I liked them, but wasn't in love with them.

For the cushions

My mad scientist self had forgotten that I sent away for two fabric samples from Fabric Guru, I got them on Saturday- YES!

It may be hard to tell in the picture but the brown is a reasonably priced microfiber suede cloth - with embroidered silver thread dots.  It feels durable and basic enough to be styled by anyone.  The dots are about 5" apart so they are not overwhelming.

The second 6" wide citrus yellow stripes were originally meant for the awning outside, but the price is so good, I may just make them curtains too.  Yellow is my favorite color.

For the Awning and Curtains

This weekend will start the demo of the trailer (after putting up the tent), although cushions and curtains are far away, it's nice to look forward to the decorating details while wearing a respirator mask, stripping the outside of the trailer, removing rotten wood and preparing myself for anything creepy or crawly that may lurk in a dark corner... think yellow curtains, yellow curtains, happy thoughts, happy thoughts.

Travel Trailer Sweet Travel Trailer

Driving back from Lancaster, PA, I must have giggled for forty-five minutes, non stop.

The smile that lasted the three hour drive home.

It could have been... the sight of towing (neither of us had ever towed anything before) this ridiculous bright yellow and blue 1974 Serro Scotty Travel Trailer, the fact that I've been obsessing and searching for a vintage travel trailer for over six months every single day, recalling the looks on many faces when I regaled them of the trailer-that-got-away stories, imagining their faces when we pulled up with this 70's baby in tow.  Good laughter.

Photo op at AutoZone, many looks were had there.

After everything, it's finally real, the restoration will be starting soon, the album is almost done, and this tour is happening.  It's all falling into place.  I think it may have been easier planning the wedding!

The loving husband wondering to himself if his wife has officially lost it.

To me this travel trailer is so much, it's a vacation house, gypsy bandwagon, the first large project together as a married couple, our vessel for being able to tour across the country playing music, a symbol of American ingenuity, proof that with enough love and work it's possible to rebuild what others couldn't, wouldn't or thought wasn't worth it.

Tech notes: She pulled like a dream, she's only 1700 Lbs, all lights, except the left rear brake light, are in working order, bearings are greased and are in fine order, the tires held but will be replaced soon (white walls of course).

It's frigid here, but as soon as the large tent I ordered from ebay comes, the demo will start.  

On our way.

Bandwagon

While everyone was holding their breath for Super Bowl Sunday, I was too, but not because of football or Beyonce for that matter.

I was pacing the sidelines watching ebay and the plotting against the opposition who's ebay name ends and begins with an "l"... who I thought I may have to track down in the event they were to win this bid.

They however were the 49ers, I turned out to be the Ravens... because I won that 1974 Serro Scotty Sportsman travel trailer that I had been obsessing about, fair game.

Now she's ours.  Nothing better for a marriage than a joint restoration project.  Steve has been accumulating tools over the past few years, one colossal shoe rack (that's love right there), chair repair and many odd jobs later, we begin the ultimate "honey do" list... restoring Bandwagon (she has a name) back to her former glory.

Besides working on this project together, I'm going to enjoy all the adventures yet to be had with the best damn partner in crime there is.  Especially the Bandwagon Tour this summer, a cross country trip for 6 weeks taking us from city to city to play music.

She's got potential, she just needs a little facelift to bring her into the 21st century... and some serious wood working skills.

Scotty's are genuine American made history, in the 1950's a recently retired car dealership owner, John Serro, built a travel trailer in his garage, that no one wanted (at first).  He continued on and made a smaller teardrop trailer and than another and another... American made in Irwin, PA until a fire burned down the plant in 1997.  They later re-opened, but as Scotty concepts and currently make fire safety houses, aka a fire safety mobile obstacle course.

1974 Serro Scotty Sportsman - Bandwagon

But I digress, this is Bandwagon the ultimate vacation home...to be.  We are going to pick her up in Lancaster, PA on Saturday.